‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ But Israel has rejected what is good

Hosea 8:1-14

Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction. 

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour.
Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.

Although they have sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king.

Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.”

Israel will be caught up in the whirlwind of God's judgment. They have made gods, made up laws, and set up kings to suit themselves: as if God and his laws did not exist. But neither idols nor allies will avail when the God they have forgotten strikes.

Why?

We acknowledge you in their mouth, but Israel has rejected what is good. This is a worshipping the Lord ceremony but their deeds were away from the Lord. So today most of our lives are like the Israelites. 

What is my fortress and what is my foundation? Jesus Christ is my savior, and the Lord is my fortress. worship the Lord with all my heart, pray to the Lord with a pure heart and devote our good deeds as sacrifices to the Lord.

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前兩章，神想辦法讓百姓轉向神，但是人卻不聽！

人也在找路，最後是白忙一場。有人敬拜神，奉主名趕鬼。他們立王卻不由我，不詢問神！立王沒有錯，但是動機不對，為一己之利。立金牛犢為神，就是因為政治動機，即信仰中摻雜屬世的動機，用信仰來包裝政治動機。基督徒不會一開始就想犯罪，但是加入私意，剛開始沒有感覺，但是信仰就會變質，最後所有屬靈成份消失。動機應該是討神的喜悅。種下去是空的，收穫也是空的，甚至更差的暴風。

倚靠亞述，找亞述倚靠金錢，結果反而變成重擔。

宗教活動其實為了自己的私意。如買賣的聖殿，不結果的無花果樹，萬事不互相效力。

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How?

Worship the Lord is not by mouth, but by our deeds. Walking on the right way and loving others.